The Mistress
by Laurewen Leimorth
Summary: He couldn't even imagine that he would meet her like this. Especially when he was certain he was the only Time Lord left. 10th doctor/OC set after Rose-before Martha. Rating may go up later.
1. Lady Ann

This is a 10th doctor story, after Rose and before Martha. I know it's not perfect grammatically but I'm doing my best to improve it so I do appreciate all types of reviews about the story, the grammar and anything else you want to criticize=) oh and unfortunately, I do not own Doctor Who and I do not do this for money.

So please go read and review! Thank you!=)

*****THE MISTRESS*****

"So what do you think?" The young woman stepped in the middle of the room dressed in a dark green gown which revealed her shapely body, her corset emphasizing each curve down till her hips. The ginger locks surrounding her head was curled perfectly and gathered at the back with a couple of ivory combs. She turned around herself. "And be honest."

"Ann…" the woman whom was sitting in front of a dressing table observed the reflection in the mirror and then turned back. "You look marvelous. You'll have the whole court wrapped around your little finger by no time."

"Not while you are around, Rose, no." Ann chuckled at her blond friend.

"Well maybe not the whole court but definitely Lord Edmund."

"Don't say that! I have no such intentions." Ann exclaimed, blushing slightly.

"But you blushed!" Rose exulted triumphantly.

"It's just a bit hot tonight that's all." Ann averted her eyes while fanning herself.

Rose let out a small laughter which sounded like chiming bells in the silent room. "Then let us go and break some hearts!"

Ann smiled at the childish enthusiasm at her friend. "All right then. But I should say that shade of pink suits you perfectly."

"Does it?" Rose fluttered her eyebrows. "Oh thank you my dear Lady Ann."

Ann couldn't help laughing this time. "But we will be late!" Rose said while walking to the door and opening it. "Shall we?"

*/*/*/ DW \*\*\*

"Lady Ann, your very presence in this room made my might brighter." The man said with a sincere smile on his handsome features.

Ann curtseyed gracefully and hoped the inadequate lighting of the hall would conceal her blushed cheeks. "Thank you Lord Edmund."

Rose touched slightly to her elbow, which made Ann to turn slightly to the back to take a look at her friend to see what she would tell her. That was when she saw him. Standing in the doorway… Dressed in a peculiar fashion… Scanning the whole room with careful eyes… Then his eyes met hers. Just for a second, his gaze was fixed on her and she was unable to do anything but to look in those deep brown eyes. All the laughter and chatter faded, everyone disappeared in her reality, leaving her alone with the stranger.

"Go with him."Rose whispered in her ear softly and smiled to her and Edmund. He smiled back. His smile made Ann dizzy. It had always done. She took his stretched hand and he touched her elbow, gently guiding her to the balcony where they could be alone. Alone with his charming Lord Edmund. But… She turned her head slightly to see the mysterious man standing all alone, the man who she had never seen before, yet the man who feels perfectly familiar. He was not there. _Must have been my imagination_. She thought.

"Don't you think?" The words and the warm hand of Lord Edmund brought her back to her senses. He was asking her something. What was it? What did he just ask her?

"I...I'm sorry." She blushed.

"You seem pensive tonight my dear lady. May I ask what troubles your mind?"

"Oh nothing, nothing really." She blushed even more. "It must be the warm summer breeze that makes me all dreamy."He smiled at her offhand explanation. "It indeed is a wonderful night tonight." He inhaled the night air filled with the scent of flowers. "It is a pity spending the night indoors though my dearest lady. Pray take a walk in the gardens with me." He smiled again. Each smile eroded her common sense a bit more. She hardly knew him. She knew she can't trust a man. Yet she felt herself nodding and taking the arm he offered. She felt walking down the stairs to the gardens with him. No words she heard, he was silent. And smiling. Always smiling. So charming and dazzling. She walked with him through the walkways, to the darker depths of the gardens filling her lungs with the warm, sweet smelling night air. When he abruptly stopped she gave him a puzzled look. He pulled her closer, closer to his perfect body so that she could feel the heat radiating from it. He leaned in slowly, and kissed her. Ann felt her world spinning out of control; she was so dizzy that she could not prevent his lips wandering off to her exposed neck, placing soft kisses before she felt his teeth sinking in her smooth flesh. She made a little noise, not feeling strong enough to shout or even struggle. Her world faded slowly as she felt her blood drained from her body yet the pain was so distant that it was like she was just watching it- not being a part of it.

"Leave her now!" It was a man's voice, shouting. Someone in the gardens at night was impossible. She knew she was only dreaming. She was dreaming of her rescue. Then he appeared. The very same man in the hall… That weird clothing and serious deep brown eyes… He came to rescue her. Now she was certain she was dreaming. He was not real. He couldn't be real.

"Leave her ALONE!" He exclaimed again. Ann felt his arms leaving her body, along with his teeth. She felt the cold hard soil beneath her while her body slipped slowly and met the earth. She heard footsteps, a pair rushing away and another coming closer. Someone took her in his arms. "Stay with me" he said softly. Brown eyes… Deep brown eyes, concerned, why were they so sad? She was feeling good, dizzy, and cold but good. Her eyes were closing slowly, she couldn't help it. She wanted to keep them open, she wanted to look in those deep eyes but she was too tired. She needed sleep. Why were her eyelids so heavy? She closed them slowly feeling his fingers on her neck, pressing her smooth skin to find her pulse. She drifted off to sleep somehow knowing she's safe.

*/*/*/ DW \*\*\*

"Oh god, is she all right?" Ann heard Rose's voice, almost screaming, coming from the doorway. She was on her bed, in her night gown, and feeling absolutely weak.

"She is fine, fine I said, she needs some rest, that's all." That was the voice! The voice that saved her… Her heart skipped a beat, she was certain, it was not a dream.

"Why can't I see her?" Rose exclaimed her voice rising dangerously.

"I said she needs rest!"

"Who are you anyway?"

"I'm the Doctor- exactly what your friend needs now. Now out you go."The door was shut loudly, leaving a very frustrated Rose outside and the man inside judging by the footsteps coming closer.

"Well hello there, you seem to be awake at last!" He grinned at her, standing at the entrance of her bedroom, staring carefully at her form, in her nightgown. In a nightgown, in her bedroom with a stranger... She pulled the covers upper and gathered them under her chin.

When she managed gather her composure she asked in a voice she hoped was authoritative enough. "I demand to know who you are and what you're doing in my bed chambers!"

"This doesn't sound even a bit bossy, you know Annie, I can call you Annie can't I? Especially to the man who just saved you from a messy death. Mind you, you wouldn't look that charming in the coffin when all your blood was sucked out." He stopped to breathe.

"But who are you?" Ann asked again her voice trembling. "Why would I die? What are you talking about, vampires? They're just myths, nothing more. And what happened to Ed…" she stopped abruptly.

The stranger raised an eyebrow. "So you remember."

"Oh god!" Ann buried her face in her palms. "It was him and you were there, I heard you and you did something to him, and and…"She began sobbing.

"There, there…" He walked in, sat on her bed and gathered her in his arms, caressing her hair slowly. "I did nothing; he ran away, he's out there somewhere. And no he's not a vampire, just a plasmavore."

"A what?" Ann raised her head slightly looking him in the eye. Those deep brown eyes, filled with sadness and childish joy at the same time, shining old and wisely yet extremely young and full of life.

"A plasmavore. That's what they're called. But that's not your concern now. Just stay away from that Edmund of yours and you'll be fine."

He stood up energetically. "And now you're awake and seem good, I'll be going." He leaned back and forth, his hands in his pockets, grinning like a 7-year old with a mischievous plan.

"You didn't tell me your name." Ann reminded, now feeling a little calmer and definitely a lot merrier. His actions made her feel like she's about to burst with laughter.

"Didn't I? Oh, it's the Doctor. And very pleased to meet you Annie. Now if you'll excuse me, I have lots to do, a plasmavore to find and some very important and boring people to save." He turned back sharply on his heels and headed towards the door. This time Ann couldn't stop her laughter. She got out of her bed, ignoring her nakedness and followed the strange man. "The Doctor? But you sure have a name, I mean a proper name, don't you?"

"No it's just the Doctor, and what's wrong with it anyway?" He paced through the door.

"Wait!"She called out breathlessly. "Will I ever see you again?"

"You may very well see me again, all right. But why you want to do that?" He turned back to face her, running a hand through his hair making it even messier.

"Because you saved my life and I don't have enough time to thank you properly." Ann lied. She just wanted to see him, just wanted to look in those eyes, just wanted to lose herself in those eyes.

Then he saw it, the old pocket watch on her dressing table. He stormed there grabbing the broken watch and in the next moment he was standing right in front of her, a bit too close to her taste, holding the watch before her eyes. When he spoke, his words were heavy and his voice was threatening "Where did you find this?"

"It's an old broken watch which belonged to my father. Nothing more than a relic actually." She smiled sweetly. "I'm very fond of the figures on the lid though. But you seem rather interested in it and I'd be happy if you keep it, as a gift for saving my life." For a moment their eyes locked again, this time his eyes were as hard as agates. Then he smiled. And thanked her. He got out of her room with the watch in his hand, mumbling to himself.

*/*/*/ DW \*\*\*

"I don't like the way that doctor looked. He is weird." Rose continued her complaint about not being allowed to see her after she had fainted in the garden while forcing Ann into a corset. "And what were you doing all alone in the garden at night anyway?"

"I was waiting for Edmund." Was the best lie Ann could come up with at that moment.

"Oh you silly girl, alone with a man in such a place, what were you thinking?" Rose pulled the strings and tied them tightly.

Ann gasped for air for a moment and remained silent. Rose hugged her firmly. "I was afraid of losing you Ann, don't do such a thing again."

"I won't." whispered Ann. "But please loosen your grip Rose, I can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry." She let her go. "Let me look at you. Oh my you look fantastic!"

Ann giggled weakly. Rose took her arm and led her to the door. "Come on, you need some company and some fun."

They entered the hall quietly, and wandered among the guests greeting them. Then Rose begun breaking some hearts, especially of the young nobles, leaving Ann alone in the crowd until she felt a hand tapping lightly on her right arm. She turned slightly to her right, her eyes grew wide when he saw him, this time dressed properly and smiling at her. "Doctor!" she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

He placed one of his fingers on his lips signing her to be silent and pointed someone in the crowd with another. Her eyes followed his finger and then they grew wider. "That's Edmund!" her voice rose to a scream and lowered to a whisper in the same sentence. When she finished saying his name, Edmund turned to her meeting her gaze and then suddenly he fled from the hall. With the doctor following him. And Ann following the doctor.

The chase continued while the doctor ran after Edmund and Edmund ran through the relatively empty corridors and Ann tried to catch up with both of them. Turning a corner Ann almost bumped into the Doctor who had stopped facing Edmund. It was apparently a dead end. Edmund was holding a sword which was removed from its place where it was used as decoration. And he was grinning madly. On the contrary the Doctor seemed to be serious. His eyes were dark and his expression was stern. Edmund raised the sword, its tip was pointing at the doctor's heart. Time stopped at that point for Ann. She could clearly see the events, but a lot slower. She immediately realized what Edmund would do and the danger the Doctor was in. She moved, passing the Doctor, standing right in front of him, shielding his body with hers so that Edmund's thrust pierced her body instead of his.

The time returned with the pain in her chest. She saw Edmund grinning maniacally while removing the sword from her chest, the Doctor trying to hold her hopelessly and lowering her body to the floor. And taking the other sword off the wall ready to attack Edmund. She heard the clanking of cold steel, the clashing of the swords as they attacked, parried and dodged each other's blows. She felt the last of her life being drained from her body as her blood leaked through the wound in her chest. Then she thought she had heard Edmund screaming in pain. It must be Edmund who had lost. It couldn't be the Doctor. She couldn't have sacrificed herself for nothing.

Her fears ceased when she saw his face. His eyes concerned, he held her in his arms as she slowly passed away. "You killed him?" her voice was a soft whimper. He nodded. And then slipped something round and made of cold metal into her hand. "Open it." He whispered. There were apparently tears in his eyes. "Open it or you'll die."

She smiled weakly. "I'll gladly die if it saves you."

"Open it now!" his voice was desperate while he clutched to her body, holding it close to himself. _Funny thing, I can swear I hear two heartbeats._ She thought smiling to herself as she slowly find the button to open the lid and with his help she pressed it before her mind went completely black.


	2. The Two TARDISes

***Chapter 2: The Two TARDISes***

The soft humming was in her head, just like a mother's song to her children in bed, enveloping her in its kindness, banishing nightmares and soothing her pain. Oh that pain, it was like someone had run through her chest with a sword... she moved restlessly, the humming voice grew louder in response.

Then she moaned, grimacing as the sharp pain returned with her movement. "I think I've just lost my left heart." She mumbled slowly opening her eyes. Her gaze met another which belongs to the man with the deepest brown eyes she had ever seen along with the most familiar presence. He was leaning over her, his expression grave, examining her wound.

"Oh hi there Thete, it's nice to see you again, I hope, now…" She supported her body on her elbows, pushing herself up only to find that her head was too dizzy preventing her from even staying sit. With a long quivering sigh she let her body fell back on the soft mattress. "This is just wrong." She muttered grinning. "I shouldn't be lying on your bed, not with a hole in my chest anyway."

His expression changed suddenly to a less concerned one. "Fortunately for you, that hole doesn't look like something that'll kill a time lady." He shrugged. "Hurry up and fix it then you can change the sheets, they're all blood stained."

"I don't want to. I've grown kinda attached to the shade of the green my eyes are, you know, I just want to stay like I am." She whined. "Besides, what if I end up turning to an old crone? Oh and by the way thank you for coming and spoiling all the fun." She took a deep shaking breath, while her hand moved under her clothes. "You've removed the corset and the dress I see." She winced when she found the scar, her slim fingers slowly probing the torn skin. "No no, no way, it had already begun. I seriously don't want to change. Do something Thete, stop it!" She reached him, who was standing near the bed observing her carefully, with her bloodstained fingers which were already luminous with cellular energy surging through her body, changing it. With a burst of golden light she was gone.

"I seriously hate this!" She inhaled deeply trying to ease her newly regenerated body then pushed herself and sat on the bed. "Be honest. How do I look?" She smiled.

The Doctor kept his eyes locked on her with a horrified expression. "No. Don't tell me I'm disfigured or something. No, NO!" She frantically began examining her new body, her hands touching her head, moving on to her arms to check if she got the right number of limbs, counting her fingers at a glance and then down to check her legs. Then she let out a long sigh. But before she managed to raise her head to look at the Doctor again she felt his presence next to her, kneeling at the bedside and his arms around her, embracing her tightly. "Salthraine?" his voice was hoarse when he said her name.

"Yes, dearest?" She smiled again, freeing her arms from his grip and wrapping them around his slim body.

When he finally loosened his grip, she raised her head, looking directly into his eyes. He was wearing that charming childish grin again, his eyes shining with joy. "This really is you, I mean, look at you, you've changed a lot of course but still stayed all the same, but tell me what you were doing in 18th century England?"

"Hiding." She averted her gaze, replying hesitantly.

"Hiding? From what?" he asked, his hands still on her shoulders.

"You."

"Me? You were hiding from me? Why would you want to do that?" his face contorted slightly while he was thinking of an explanation.

Her voice was so light, it was almost impossible to hear her answer when she spoke while chewing on her thumb nail. "Because you told me that you don't want to see me ever again."

One of his eyebrows rose questioningly. "Have I said that? Are you sure it was me? 'cause I don't remember saying anything like that to you." He stopped for a moment then continued. "Nope, never. "

Salthraine rolled her eyes sighing. "That spring night in the academy? A couple of decades after your initiation?"

The Doctor raised another eyebrow, looking completely clueless. "Don't do that you look ridiculous." Salthraine chided him unable to keep herself from laughing.

"I seriously don't remember."

"How about…"She stopped abruptly as she pondered about the situation and then simply reached and kissed him.

He was completely unprepared for that reckless action, her soft lips stayed on his just for a couple of seconds as her mind wandered in his, awakening old memories as she brushed the dust off the buried and forgotten reminiscences of him and her.

She broke the kiss as suddenly as she had begun, leaving a very surprised and somewhat confused Time Lord sitting on the bed, staring at her blankly. His expression changed slowly as the memories poured into his consciousness, of her kissing him just like she'd just did, of him being distant, his mind so preoccupied with the details of the last argument he'd done with Koschei, of her pouting at him for being too inattentive, his own voice replying "You can very well leave and not see me again if you're not content." And then she had left. She had just got up and left. She had never talked to him like the way she did.

He cleared his throat, struggling to come up with something to say. His expressive eyebrows went up as his deep brown eyes went wide. Finally he seemed to have found his voice, "See, nothing like _never again _was mentioned_."_

"I should have guessed not again and never again are completely different, especially when you're with the one called Koschei, or thinking about him, or discussing time-travel ethics with him, or…" She had stopped to take a deep breath when his sheepish expression caught her attention. "Oh, never mind." She shrugged. "It was me running away like a 10 year old at the first sign of a dispute."

She pushed him out of the bed hastily as she got out of it, stretching her arms. The Doctor stopped when he got on his feet and turned back sharply. "But how come you managed to stay out of my perception? I'd have sensed your presence. Don't tell me you've spent your years disguising as a human."

She blinked a couple of times "Of course not. Why would I waste my years on that disguise?"

"Then why were you in the court flirting with those nobles if not for hiding purposes?"

"Entertainment." She shrugged walking past him towards the door when he reached and held her arm firmly, forcing her to turn back. "Your mind was as defenseless as mine was, Sal. And I can't say I liked what I saw in there."

"Since when wishing to die as a human is a sin?" She questioned, knowing what exactly he had seen in her mind. "Maybe it's time for all of us to become extinct. We're well beyond our time Thete and…" Her voice lowered as she gulped the inevitable fact of being alone filling her mind. "Only two of us are left." Then she left without even looking at his face.

The humming inside her head became louder as she climbed the spiral stairs to the console room where the luminescent heart of the TARDIS was illuminating the whole room with a soft shade of subdued yellow.

"No. I know." She countered the unsaid displeasure of the vessel. "I shouldn't have said that." She laid her left hand lovingly on the console. "We haven't made a very good start, I'm aware of that."

The humming tone changed to a slightly amused one from the previous annoyed state. There were soft footsteps on the stairs. Salthraine turned back to face The Doctor who was climbing the stairs with his hands in his pockets, grinning.

"Trying to make me apologize?" Salthraine muttered under her breath. "All right, I give in." Her sober gaze met his. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." She inclined her head. "There, happy now?"

"Of course I am! I've found you, why wouldn't I be happy?" The Doctor grinned even wider.

"That was for the TARDIS."

"Ah… having a little ladies chat, you two? I may leave if you want?"

"Oh stop it." She smiled. "Rather fond of you, this one." She gestured to the console.

"You'll like her once you get used to her quirks."

"That's assuming I'll stay."

"You're not?" That charming grin of his faded slowly, replaced by a slight frown.

"You want me to?" She asked innocently, her voice low with the fear of a possible negative response.

"Of course!" He cracked a grin again. "It'd be wonderful to have a Time Lady aboard. We could travel the whole universe together. If you want to, that is."

"Oh, I'd love to." She smiled shyly.

"Right then. Off we go!" He began his frantic dance around the console, pulling that, spinning this, pushing another.

"My TARDIS is out there, Thete." Sal interrupted his entertainment; her voice was so high that it would be heard even in the middle of a full-fledged thunder storm.

The Doctor froze in the middle of his action. "No need to get excited."

Salthraine blushed with shame. "Sorry. New voice. Takes some time to get used it." She ran towards the door. "I'll be back soon." She shouted as she flung the door open. Only to find herself suspended in the orbit of Planet Earth, with only TARDIS keeping her from being sucked into the absolute vacuum. She shut the door close, leaning on it, breathless. "Can we go back to my bedchambers, please?" She asked.

"Actually they were Lady Ann's bedchambers." The Doctor corrected her.

"Just take me back, will you Thete?" She smirked.

*/*/*/ DW \*\*\*

"There we are! Just as you left!" The Doctor stumbled out of TARDIS, scrutinizing the room to trying to work out the location of her TARDIS. She went out after him, directly heading towards her oversized wardrobe.

"Oh don't tell me it's your wardrobe!"

"Of course not. It's the closet next to it."She pointed at a small closet, about 2 meters tall and one and a half meters wide. "It's best to keep a close eye on him. You'd never know what will happen."

"Him?" The Doctor sounded bewildered.

"I don't argue when you say yours is a she, do I now?" Salthraine raised an eyebrow trying her best not to grin. "Now" she touched the wood lovingly. "Since I can't leave him here, we need to come up with a solution to hide him while I'm travelling with you."

"21st century."

"I didn't quite follow that."

"We can leave…_him, _in the 21st century in a bank, we'll need a different disguise for him, but he'll manage that, I guess."

She seemed to be thinking over the solution for a moment, and then she nodded. "Ok then I'll see you in 21st century, where, when? London?Let's say 05.03.2008?" She offered.

"Agreed."The doctor nodded.

"Finally, I can get rid of this silly undergarment." She pulled the bloodstained dress, shifting uncomfortably in it. "Who knew I'd be busty this time? A little bit inconvenient but looks good, huh?" She winked at the Doctor standing next to her, his eyes lingering on her curves. "Thete?" She smiled, waiting for an answer.

His voice was hoarse when he replied. "What? Oh, yes, indeed." He cleared his throat, ripping his gaze from her body. She giggled and reached for the handle. "See you in March."

He turned back, with an indecipherable expression, in between a frown and a smirk, walking towards his TARDIS.

*#*#*#*

May I have a little encouragement in the form of reviews? Thank you=)


	3. A Little Game of Sepulchasm

***Chapter 3: A Little Game of Sepulchasm***

The Doctor opened the TARDIS door, stepping outside and his eyes scanned the empty back alley carefully. "You're late, as always." A soft voice, apparently of a woman, teased him.

The Doctor spun back sharply, facing the smiling woman standing right in front of him with her arms crossed on her chest. "I was right behind you." He replied.

"I'm still faster." Her smile turned into a huge grin. She had got rid of her bloodstained garment and now was clad in a pair of tight black jeans, a scarlet vest top and a black velvet overcoat. Her slim neck was adorned with a black choker, having a small silver pendant of Seal of Rassilon.

"Done with your TARDIS?" he asked. She nodded. "In a safe deposit box, more like a big container than a box actually, disguised as an old statue made of marble. Very beautiful." She added admiringly.

"Shall we?" The Doctor gestured towards his TARDIS over his shoulder. Salthraine took a step forward, taking his hand in hers and dragging him out of the alley. "Lunch!" she exclaimed. "I'm starving."

The Doctor couldn't help laughing at her childish behavior and accompanied her. "What would you like to have for lunch, Sal?" He asked. "Pizza? Or maybe fish and chips? Something better? I know a restaurant which serves wonderful steaks."

_We're being followed._ Saltharine's thoughts brushed his mind gently. _I've realized_. The Doctor squeezed her hand in his. "Pizza. And then a cup of good hot tea." She replied aloud. "All right, pizza it is then!" The Doctor grinned, and then turned his head slightly to catch a glimpse of their stalker. _Humanoid_. His thought formed in her mind. _Might be a shapeshifter_. Her answer came promptly. They kept talking about the weather, the surroundings and other possible silly topics while keeping the following humanoid in the corner of their line of sight. When they ordered a pizza and sat down to enjoy it together, the stalker stopped at the corner at the opposite side of the street, watching the entrance of the pizzeria. They sat near the window, the Doctor facing the man and Salthraine on the opposite. For someone watching them having lunch, they were just a couple who were very fond of each other, their hands touching frequently and chitchatting quietly. For them, it was an easy way to communicate without attracting attention.

_I've never seen him before_. The Doctor frowned slightly. _I'd remember if I had._

_Don't tell me you remember everyone you encountered in your whole life. _Salthraine smiled_._

_Ok, I don't. _He returned her smile._Oh and by the way, isn't the pendant a bit…_ He struggled for a second for the right word, _extreme? _

She reached and touched the silver pendant, caressing the design tenderly. _Not many can recognize the seal, Thete, I think it's safe to wear it._

His smile faded slowly_. Now they're two. A female, human I guess._

_Time to get out and ask them what they want. _Salthraine grinned, pushing her plate away and standing up to wear her overcoat. The Doctor did the same, and then opened the door for her and they both went outside, walking at a leisurely pace towards the alley where they left the TARDIS.

The couple followed them. _Rather unprofessional_. Salthraine smirked. _Anyone can understand they're following us._

Remembering the LINDA incident, which hadn't ended very happily for everyone, The Doctor grimaced. Sharing those memories with Salthraine, he added_ From time to time, someone with an unhealthy obsession of catching me or observing my life shows up. The pursuit doesn't end well for them usually._

_They might be working for someone else. _She pointed out_. You can never know without interrogating them._

_Interrogate? How did you come up with this ugly word? _He almost chided her.

She managed to look somewhat ashamed._ Bad choice of words maybe. _

_Awful choice_. He guided her gently to the alley where the TARDIS awaited their return_. _

Their pursuer couple walked in the alley, their eyes searching their targets carefully. The woman had her arms wrapped around the man's arm tightly and her eyes were nervous. They both were very young, 19 years old at most. They only found the Doctor, leaning on the TARDIS, with a small smile on his face. They stopped abruptly, trying to turn back and get out of the alley however; Salthraine was already there, standing firmly behind them, blocking the way, her hands in her pockets. She was not smiling.

"Are there something you'd like to talk with me?" The Doctor said. "Some alien invasion maybe? About last year's Christmas?" He raised an eyebrow, his smile widening into a grin. "Don't be shy. Anything? Hm?"

The girl fainted at that point. "Oh my." Salthraine signed. "They seek you out and then pass out. How very inconvenient." She walked towards the couple, gently touching the boy's arm. "Maybe you can tell us why you were following us?" She asked while helping him to hold the girl. The boy turned his gaze from the Doctor to her and then to the limp body of the girl in his arms. When he finally talked his voice was icy.

"Our mother was out on the day of Battle of Canary Wharf. She never came back home. Whenever you showed up, someone went missing. I demand you bring them back!"

His cold and accusing tone wiped the smile off the Doctor's face, literally. "I'm sorry. "He said in a quiet tone. "I'm so sorry. But I haven't taken them anywhere."

"What happened then? They simply vanished?" The boy asked fiercely.

The Doctor nodded. "They perished. I'm sorry."

"And not a body was left behind? I refuse to believe that mister!" The boy's voice was getting higher and higher. He had let his sister go a while ago, who was gently being held by Salthraine, and now he was standing there, his arms waving and almost shouting his disbelief in his face. His grief stricken face. Salthraine raised her gaze from the girl in her arms to the Doctor's face, meeting his deep brown eyes, darkened with his sorrow and self reproach.

"Stop it." She said.

The boy continued to rebuke him for bringing death to earth, for he believed whenever he showed up, some disaster was bound to happen.

"I said shut up!" She picked the girl up in her arms, carrying towards the TARDIS. "Your sister, or whoever she is, needs to rest and look at you, ignoring her completely, raving about some stupid speculation about what you have absolutely no evidence and no support, yelling at a complete stranger for saving your world! Is that how you thank someone? Rather than being glad that you're safe and sound in your own planet, living freely under the stars, you're out on a wild goose chase! "

"That's enough Sal." The Doctor put his hand on her arm. "He's right at one thing. My presence is not planet Earth's lucky charm." He smiled bitterly. "But there's nothing I can do about your mother. I'm sorry. Many humans perished that day. Take the young lady, and go home. The best thing you can do is to remember your mum and to live on." He turned back, opening the TARDIS door and disappearing into the console room.

Salthraine left the girl in the boy's arms and walked in after the Doctor. Then the door was closed. The boy stood still while the TARDIS dematerialized in front of him, holding his sister closely and trying to forget the rage in the black clad lady's eyes. No document about the Doctor mentioned such a woman accompanying him. As the TARDIS left the planet, the girl regained her consciousness slowly, still clutching at the boy. "They're gone." He muttered. "Good riddance." The girl replied him. "Let's go home Tom. I don't want to see that man ever again. Just forget him, please?"

*/*/*/ DW \*\*\*

He walked around the console low spiritedly, deprived of his usual manic energy, pushing a button, pulling a lever and turning a wheel, out of habit. Salthraine just sat on the jumper seat, watching the Doctor carefully. Minutes passed slowly as none dared to talk. Finally the Doctor raised his head from the display, his grave expression turning into a forced grin. "So, have you decided where to go first?"

Salthraine's eyes met his, her eyes serious. "You can't save everyone, Thete."

"I can do anything." The answer came almost automatically.

"No. Even the Eternals can't." She seemed to be thinking for an instant before mumbling "Not sure about the Guardians, though." She then placed both her hands on the seat and pushed herself up, standing in front of him, her eyes still fixed on his. "I can see all those years in there."She whispered. "Everyone you traveled with. Everyone you liked. Everyone that died." Then she sighed, averting her gaze. "You know what I think?" she smiled. "We need some time out- of time and...trouble!"

The Doctor ran his right hand through his hair and pulled a lever slowly regaining his usual joyful nature. "Right then, into the Vortex!" He turned a wheel and then pulled another lever strongly causing a slight tremor in the console room and they stopped abruptly. "And here is your peaceful free time Mistress Sal." He turned back on his heels to face Salthraine only to see she was no longer there.

"Down here! " Her left hand appeared from a hole on the ground formed by moving one piece of plating of the floor. "You have a whole universe tucked in here. Very interesting stuff."

"Oi! Get out of my attic Sal!" The Doctor lied on the floor, his head hanging freely from the edge of the hole, watching the young woman plundering what he had collected over the years.

"Does the gravity field in here work differently? I thought attics are on the top level." She continued to search through the various items from anywhere and anytime.

"You're going to spend your day out in there?" The Doctor asked.

"Very well can. There're all types of interesting stuff in here." She smiled. "But actually I was looking for something specific." She held out a relief map. "I knew you'd keep this one!" She climbed up and sat on the floor, dusting off the map while carefully examining every detail.

"I have a Sepulchasm board down there?"The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "I've forgotten even putting that there."

"Good way of spending time, don't you think?" She laid the map on the floor. "I want these." She extended her arm, on her palm rested three little figurines colored each of a different color.

The other eyebrow met the previously raised one as the Doctor stared at her astonished. "You're planning to play Sepulchasm on the floor? In the console room? That game is for children Sal."

"You have something better to do?" replied Salthraine.

"TARDIS needs recalibrating. I was planning to do that for a while now. It's better if I get it done now."He gestured towards the controls.

"Oh yes. The TARDIS and the endless tinkering." She got up and picked the board up. "I'll be in one of the rooms if you need me." She turned back and climbed down the stairs.

He turned back and examined the displays carefully and then reached for his screwdriver. The soft hum of the TARDIS changed slightly. He lied down and pulled some cables out of where they belong and began working on them. The hum got louder. He looked carefully to the bunch of cables and then to the sonic screwdriver. Then he gave up and placed the trusted item back in his pocket while standing up. He took off his coat and left it on one of the pillars before leaving the room.

*/*/*/ DW \*\*\*

She was sitting on a bed cross legged with a concentrated look on her face, her eyes staring blankly at the board as the figurines moved slowly. Her arms were bare now that her overcoat rested on an armchair at the opposite corner and her skin was pale under the soft lighting of the room. He leaned on the doorframe, his hands in his pockets, watching her carefully.

"Decided to join?" She asked after a while.

"I'll do the calibrations sometime later, I guess." He flashed one of his little charming smiles.

Salthraine smiled back, patting the bed. "Come on then, the game awaits." The Doctor walked towards the bed slowly and sat at the opposite side of the map. He searched his pockets and produced his glasses wearing them while inspecting the tiny projection of a part of his world.

"Which houses you choose?" He asked.

Salthraine pointed at the three figurines. "Since when you need glasses?" She asked curiously.

He picked his pieces placing them on the board. "I don't. But they make me look smarter, don't they?" He raised his head from the map and grinned.

"The younger you get, the more charming you become." Salthraine flirted with him, grinning wickedly.

"Why, thank you Mistress." He winked slyly then pointed at the dice. "Ladies first."

Salthraine picked the dice and rolled it without removing her gaze from him. When the sound the rolling dice made ended she looked at what it showed and moved one of her pieces accordingly. The Doctor rolled it next and seriously watched his piece moving.

As they continued playing, the only sound in the room was the rattling the rolling dice made. Until the dice hit 45… Then the Doctor exclaimed "Sepulchasm!" in utter delight as the board cracked open revealing what might be defined as hell. They both looked up from the board into each other's eyes and fixed their gaze, struggling both to keep their pieces floating above and to disturb the psychic balance of the other.

"You know if we keep being this silent, I think I can synchronize my heartbeat with yours, I can hear them all too well." Salthraine tried to distract the Doctor.

"Yes, I bet you can. But what's the point in that?" He replied.

She shrugged. "Nothing." They fell silent again, concentrated on the hovering pieces.

"Oh by the way I know where exactly we should travel to after resting enough." The Doctor told her, his eyes shining with childish joy.

"And that is?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Early days of Ceres. Beautiful colors to be seen from the orbit." He winked.

She pursed her lips as she thought about his offer. "I'll come with you to watch Ceres from the orbit only if we could visit the gardens of Chumeria afterwards."

"Deal." The doctor's smile faded slowly as he focused again trying to figure out how to distract her.

"Oh I can sit here until you grow tired of it and give up Thete."She grinned.

The Doctor slowly removed his glasses, folding them and tucking them back in one of his pockets without breaking eye contact. "The only problem here is the fact that I never give up."He smirked.

"Maybe not but you can be distracted. All I need to do is to force you to let your pieces down." Her voice lowered seductively as her lips curved in a little smile.

"And what exactly are you planning to do to make me lose the game?" His eyes shifted momentarily from her gaze to her soft lips.

"I'll do nothing." Her lips parted and the tip of her tongue slid over them.

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably on the bed trying to keep his eyes fixed on hers and his mind clear of all the invading vivid images of how she would look naked on the burgundy sheets covering the soft bed they were sitting on. On second thought, knowing that she could easily reach to his mind, he just let her see what was crossing it.

"Naughty." She chided softly.

"Oh wait till you see the next part." The Doctor extended the image into a movie woven with carefully chosen colors, smells and sounds which assaulted all her sensory nerves except the tactile ones. She shivered, drawing a deep breath to keep her composure.

"I was talking about you using my own weapon to unleash a full fledged attack on my mind." She took another deep breath closing her eyes for a split second. "Not what you think of doing to me." She opened her eyes to meet his very curious and a bit cheeky gaze. Images in her mind continued flowing causing her to almost lose her control as they became more and more realistic each passing second. She knew she was looking right into his mind but she couldn't be sure if those were the exact things he was thinking and wanting, or just a trick to win. "Although I must admit they are rather naughty as well."

"You started." He accused her, his voice husky.

"Oh I did not."She protested. "I just implied. What you're doing is…far more…"Her voice trailed off while she waved her hand vaguely trying to gather enough composure to continue. Then she gulped. "I don't think I'm that elastic." She managed to whisper.

The Doctor quickly glanced at the still hovering pieces then leaned towards her, his face just an inch apart from hers. She felt his breath on her face when he spoke softly. "Do you wish to find out Mistress?" She squeezed her eyes shut, collecting the last remnants of her composure. He was dangerously close now; his hands had cupped her face as his forehead rested on hers. "Tell me Sathraine, do you?" He breathed each word slowly. "Cause we can find out the answer right here. Right now. All we need to do is to try. All I need is your consent." Her answer burned through his mind. She had her hands on his now and her thoughts flooded in his mind, darkened with lust, frantic with her need of him and deliberately intended for forcing him to lose his telekinetic grip on his pieces. He detached her hands from his, struggling to maintain his balance after her attack and astonished at what he witnessed in her mind. "Cheating is not like you at all Sal." He kissed her lips softly. The contact of his skin sent shivers down her spine and she sighed but refused to let her pieces plunge into the chasm. "How long can you keep that up?" She smirked.

"Keep what up? The pieces hovering? Or kissing you?" He mumbled moving down to her now exposed neck, trailing her smooth skin with soft kisses. "I don't know."He replied when she didn't answer. "That's a new challenge." He raised his head to look at her. Her eyes fluttered open when she felt the contact of his lips on her skin which she savored much had gone. She looked deep into those magnificent brown eyes and smiled. "The first to fall into the chasm loses."

He pressed his lips on hers at that moment, his tongue trailing on her soft lips, seeking entrance which was granted shortly. Her hands were in his hair, pulling him closer as he slowly lowered her body on the bed.

The board was gently thrust to the other side of the bed, six pieces still hovering above, stubbornly refusing to fell into darkness much like their owners.

*#*#*#*

Gonna continue from where I've left, very soon I hope. Maybe I should increase the rating =)

As always, PLEASE read& review for your reviews keep me writing=)


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